Mr Stanley
Mr Cortaz
PS/Mr Rowlands
PS
CONFIDENTIAL
COVERING BALTET
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DEPENDENT TERRITORIES: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
1. Mr Rowlands has minuted on a previous submission that he does not think that the general question of our policy towards capital punishment in the dependent territories is sufficiently urgent to put to the Secretary of State but that he hopes the various cases pending can be handled in such a way as to avoid the Secretary of State having to advise Her Majesty on the exercise of the prerogative of mercy.
2.
During the next two months we are almost certain to be faced with one or more appeals to The Queen for the exercise of the prerogative of mercy arising from the cases of Leopold Jones in Belize and of Messrs Burrows and Tacklyn in Bermuda. In the Burrows and Tacklyn cases the local Prerogative of Mercy Committee have advised that neither Burrows nor Tacklyn should be reprieved. The acting Governor has accepted their advice and both men have been informed. Tacklyn's lawyer has given notice of his intention to apply for special leave to appeal. In the Jones' case, it is likely that the local Prerogative of Mercy Committee will advise the Governor that the law should take its course.
Background
3. Capital punishment is retained in Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Caymans, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos and Hong Kong (as well as in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man). In 1965 and again in 1970 the Secretary of State of the day invited the Governors concerned to consider introducing changes in the legislation on capital punishment in their territories in order to bring their laws into line with that in the UK. The legislatures of the territories concerned refused to do so. All available
CONFIDENTIAL
COVERING SECRET